Child Care

Child Care

SUNY child care centers provide quality care for over 5,000 children at 53 centers across the state. Twenty-two of these centers are located on state-operated campuses, and thirty-one at the community colleges. SUNY also has three child care referral programs.

All SUNY centers are licensed by the NYS Office of Children & Family Services (with the exception of one center licensed by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene). 62% of SUNY childcare centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation’s highest standard of quality for early care and education programs.

Providing a vital service

SUNY childcare centers provide a vital service for the campus and community in providing care for children of students, faculty, staff and community members. Of the 5,000 children served, approximately one-third are children of student parents, one-third children of faculty and staff and one-third children from the community. SUNY childcare centers allow parents to attend school and work while providing solid foundation of care and education for young children.

Building a more vibrant community

Collaboration with the campus community, local school districts, BOCES, United Way, CCR&Rs, Foster Grandparents, and other human service agencies provide a broad range of services for enrolled children and their families and creates a positive relationship with the community.

Research has shown that high quality early childhood programs have both immediate and long-term benefits to the larger society, not just the individual child. Children who experience high quality early care and education are more likely to stay in school, avoid teen pregnancy, stay out of jail, attend college, and have higher earnings.

Developing a skilled and prepared workforce

SUNY childcare centers allows student parents to succeed in school, prepare students for teaching and other professions and build a strong foundation for New York’s future workforce.

Student parents with access to child care are more likely to remain in school and graduate in fewer years.

They demonstrate higher rates of persistence.

Their grade point average is higher

Student parents indicate availability of child care as critical to their decision to enroll in college.

SUNY childcare centers also provide sites for student interns and placements for work-study students in the fields of child development, education, nursing, psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy and many others.

SUNY childcare centers are caring for and educating New York’s future workforce:

Young children’s brains develop 700 synapses—neural connections that support learning and skills—every second.

By age 3, a child’s brain has reached more than 85% of its adult weight.

The human brain is primed from birth to react to, and learn from, the environment and interactions with caregivers. Those interactions shape the personality, intelligence and behavior that a person will carry with them into adulthood.

Children who experience high quality early care and education are more likely to stay in school, avoid teen pregnancy, stay out of jail, attend college, and have higher earnings.

Driving the economy

SUNY childcare centers contribute to economic development by providing employment opportunities for over 1,200 people.

Investments in early care and education have an immediate economic effect through spending on facilities, supplies and personnel which have a multiplying effect.

Early care and education professionals generally spend most of their earnings locally. States realize roughly $2 in local spending for each federal child care dollar spent

Society benefits through cost savings of $3 to $7 for every $1 invested, enhanced lifetime earning of both children and parents, reduced unemployment for quality child care graduates, fewer teen pregnancies, lower crime rates, less delinquency and fewer incarcerations.

About the centers

Each SUNY childcare center is a not-for-profit entity with a relationship and contract with the campus they serve. All SUNY childcare centers serve student parents, faculty and staff. Many also serve community members. Schedules vary by campus.

New York State provides funding for SUNY childcare centers through the Operating Grant and the Child Care & Development Block Grant. Operating grant funds are used for center operating costs, including salaries, supplies, equipment and meals for children. The Child Care & Development Block Grant provides tuition subsidies for over 1,500 children of income-eligible students.

Directors meet twice annually at regional meetings. SUNY hosts an annual Early Care & Education Conference for the directors and staff of the childcare centers. SUNY childcare centers are supported by a Child Care Coordinator and the Office of University Life.